The National Rail strike planned to begin on Monday 25 May has been suspended after employees accepted a revised pay offer.
Staff were originally offered a £500 lump sum and three years of pay rises in line with inflation. This has now been revised.
Union bosses had also raised concerns that railway bosses had given no guarantee over compulsory redundancies in the future.
Patrick McLoughlin, the transport secretary, said: “I am very pleased that the unions have made a decision to suspend their planned action.
“Passengers right across the country will welcome this news and the knowledge that the extensive disruption threatening the bank holiday and the return to work on Tuesday has been averted.”
”The government has been working closely with transport operators, Highways England and local government on preparations to help manage the impact a national rail strike would have had on the network. We all welcome this news.”
In a letter to members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), its general secretary Mick Cash, added: “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you all on standing firm.
”Without the fantastic result you returned in favour for industrial action and your readiness to participate in industrial action, the union would not have been able to force management back around the negotiating table.”
Network Rail declined to comment.
